AU2005337502A1 - Conveyor, in particular, a pipe conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for conveying material wherein a conveyor belt is guided over head drums so as to form a forward travelling and returning stretch. The conveyor belt is guided in such a way that the forward travelling and returning stretches intersect each other as seen in the horizontal projection, i.e., as seen in the direction of the drum axes, and the conveyor belt travels over both head drums from the top toward the bottom.

Description

IN THE MATTER OF an Australian Application corresponding to PCT Application PCT/EP2005/011117 I, Wendy Elizabeth LIGHT BA, MA, PG Dip. Trans., translator to RWS Group Ltd, of Europa House, Marsham Way, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I am conversant with the English and German languages and am a competent translator thereof, and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the following is a true and correct translation of the PCT Application filed under No. PCT/EP2005/011117. Date: 18 April 2008 W. E. LIGHT For and on behalf of RWS Group Ltd WO 2007/045255 PCT/EP2005/011117 Description: "Conveyor, in particular a pipe conveyor" 5 The invention relates to a conveyor, in particular pipe conveyor, having a conveying belt, which is guided over head drums to form a forward and a return strand, and guides for the strands, the guides being arranged between the head drums. 10 Conveyors in which, in addition to the forward strand, the bottom, return strand also forms a conveying section, in which case different articles can be transported in opposite directions, are known from use. 15 While the articles transported on the top strand can be unloaded at the head drum remote from the loading location, the operation of unloading the bottom strand requires a separate unloading station, in which the conveying belt is moved in a loop for the purpose of 20 discharging the articles, and is possibly then cleaned in order to avoid the head drums being soiled by the conveying belt. The object of the present invention is to provide a 25 novel conveyor of the type mentioned in the introduction which is suitable for conveying over two conveying sections and requires a lower level of installation and operational outlay than conventional conveyors of this type. 30 The conveyor according to the invention, which achieves this object, is characterized in that the two strand guides, as seen in horizontal projection, cross over and the conveying belt runs from top to bottom over the 35 two head drums. Both the forward strand and the return strand can advantageously be unloaded at the relevant head drum.

WO 2007/045255 PCT/EP2005/011117 - 2 There is no need for a separate discharge loop. The level of installation outlay which is necessary in order for the strand guides, which cross over in horizontal projection, and the strands to be guided 5 past one another at the crossover location is considerably lower than the level of installation outlay required for such a discharge loop. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the 10 invention, the conveying belt, in the bottom portions of the forward and of the return strand, runs through a respective belt-turning station, which is arranged upstream of a loading station. This ensures that the same side of the belt is used for receiving the 15 articles for return transportation as for forward transportation. Soiling of the guides and head drums by articles is avoided. In order to ensure the necessary horizontal offsetting 20 of the guides or strands at the crossover location, at least one of the two guides is curved. Of course, the curvature can be kept to a particularly low level if the two guides and strands yield in relation to one another. 25 The invention will be explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, which relate to these exemplary embodiments and in which: 30 figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a pipe conveyor according to the invention, figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a conveying section of the pipe conveyor from figure 1, 35 and figure 3 shows plan views of possible strand-guide arrangements which can be used in the conveyor from figure 1.

WO 2007/045255 PCT/EP2005/011117 -3 A pipe conveyor, which is illustrated schematically in side view in figure 1, has an endless conveying belt 1 which runs around head drums 2 and 3 and is driven by 5 the latter. The conveying belt 1 forms a strand 4, which moves in the direction of arrow 5 from the underside of the head drum 2 to the top side of the head drum 3, and a strand 10 6, which moves in the opposite direction, according to arrow 7, from the underside of the head drum 3 to the top side of the head drum 2. The strands 4 and 6 form two conveying sections for different bulk material. 15 Figure 2 shows the conveying belt 1, which is formed, along the strands 4 and 6, into a pipe by a guide and transports bulk material 18. Strand guides are formed in each case by a row of retaining frames 15, on which are fitted supporting rollers 16, which are distributed 20 around an opening 17. Belt-opening sections 8 and 9 are arranged at the drums 2 and 3 and, in these sections, the conveying belt 1, formed into a pipe, is transferred into a strip form 25 suitable for wrapping around the head drum. A belt-turning section 10, 11 is provided in the respectively bottom portion of the strands 4 and 6, respectively. In the turning sections, the conveying 30 belt is rotated through 1800 with the aid of a roller arrangement (not shown). The belt-turning section 10, 11 is followed in the conveying direction by a respective loading and pipe-forming section 12, 13. 35 As can be seen in figure 1, the strand 4 and the strand 6 cross over at 14, as seen in the direction of the head-drum axes.

WO 2007/045255 PCT/EP2005/011117 -4 According to figure 3a, the strand 4 can be guided over a curved path past the strand 6, and the guide 20 thereof, at the crossover location 14 by a guide which is indicated at 19. According to figure 3b, it is also 5 possible for the two strands 4 and 6 to be guided past one another in a curved manner by corresponding guides 19' and 20' Bulk material loaded onto the strand 6 at the loading 10 and pipe-forming section 12 is unloaded at the head drum 3, the articles falling off the conveying belt 1, which is open at 9. The conveying belt is then rotated through 1800 in the belt-turning station 11 and can be loaded anew with other kinds of bulk material, which is 15 to be transported in the opposite direction, in the loading and pipe-forming section 13. Loading advantageously takes place in each case on the bottom portion of the strand, which is easily 20 accessible. By virtue of the belt being turned, there is no need for the belt to be cleaned, unless residues of the bulk material transported on the strand 4 must not be mixed with the articles transported on the strand 6.

Claims (3)

1. A conveyor, in particular pipe conveyor, having a conveying belt (1), which is guided over head drums (2, 5 3) to form a forward and a return strand (4, 6), and guides (19, 20) for the strands (4, 6), the guides being arranged between the head drums (2, 3), characterized in that the two strand guides (19, 20), as seen in horizontal projection, cross over and the 10 conveying belt (1) runs from top to bottom over the two head drums (2, 3).

2. The conveyor as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in the bottom portions of the forward and of 15 the return strand (4, 6), the conveying belt (1) runs through a respective belt-turning section (10, 11), which is arranged upstream of a loading station (12, 13). 20

3. The conveyor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one or both guides (19, 20; 19', 20') of the strand (4, 6) is/are curved, in order to ensure the necessary horizontal offsetting of the guides or strands (4, 6) at the crossover location 25 (14).